Jealous Theo who is betrothed to you and you guys are in the same friend group but avoid each other because you both feel forced by your parents. Secretly like each other and secretly trying to make the other jealous until Theo can’t handle it anymore 😍🥰😋
I LOVE this sssssm i had so much fun writing, I hope you enjoy darling x
Slow-burning lovers arranged marriage trope
Warning: Mild language, Sexual implied but not explicitly stated
also unedited, spelling and grammar is defiently off but its 2;30 am and I cbf re-reading and editing lmao.
Reblogs, comments, and likes are extremely appreciated. <3
You know that it's not normal to be betrothed at seventeen.
You know that it's not normal to not talk to your finance.
You had both been told of the wedding plans over tea on an arbitrary Tuesday morning, you and your parents on one side of the table, Theodore and his on the other.
You didn't know if you had choked or spat out your piping-hot English Breakfast; maybe it was both, but what you do remember for certain is that Theodore didn't flinch.
That's what frustrated you most about him, his cold, gargoylish face always so unflinching, so unfeeling, it told you nothing, it never had in your whole existence of knowing Theo.
Fast forward to now, you feel everything so deeply nowadays, every sense, every temperature, every sound, every sensation by tenfold. As you look down at your hand weakly resting on the great hall dining table, you can't avoid the rock on your finger; no one can really.
You hear it all the time, you were surrounded by teenage romantics after all, the girls would stop you in hallways and squeal over the shining thing that decorated the finger beside your pinky.
It seemed like everyone stared at your ring, except the one who gave it to you.
When he slipped it on your hand, he didn't smile; his hands steady below your own, his eyes only meeting yours for a second.
You can't blame him, since the two of you were put in this arrangement, you had both pulled desperately away from each other.
How could either of you continue a friendship knowing that you're bound for life.
So that's how it continued, you would both sit on opposite sides of the couch when in the common room, Pansy, Draco and Blaise filling the space between you two.
You would walk into the library, scan the aisles of books, and find Theo browsing for his own. You turned on your heels and left; it was easier that way, you thought. He thought so too.
You thought about him too much for someone so distant, but that was the trouble, having the same friends, growing up together, forced proximity, you could only avoid him so much. There was no limit on how much you could think about him though, your brain couldn't shut him out or off, more than you could ever admit to yourself.
You lie facing the dark green ceiling of Pansy's bedroom, entranced in a daydream, that is of course, until you feel your hand aggressively yanked up by Pansys not so soft hand.
"Look at the size of this thing", She laughed "I'll never understand how you got so lucky" she huffed
"Lucky, Lucky" you laughed in return, sitting upright "What's lucky about this?" you continue
"Yes, lucky honey, if it all turns sour, this ring will get you at least one hundred thousand galleons from a shady store in Diagon", she laughed
"Mhm" you hum, your mind occupied
"So have you guys, you know-" Pansy pries, elbowing you gently
"Pans, we don't speak, let alone" you pause and elbow her back
"I bet you want to" she smiles
"Pansy!" You almost scream, throwing a pillow in her direction
She's too quick catching the pillow and returning it to you with force "He's your finance! You should be doing all that and more", she retaliates
"And would you look at that, you're so blushing and you so want him" she continues
you felt your cheeks on fire, hiding your face into her pillow
you mutter a response into the pillow, she rips it from under you, demanding you repeat what you had said
"I said I don't know what to do, Pans! Besides he's always flirting with girls in front of me, there's something that's hidden deep in my heart"
She looks at you blankly, before her face erupts, "I knew it, I bloody knew you had in fact have something for him, and you didn't tell me until now?" she shrieks
"Pansy, I just admitted it to myself, literally as the words just left my mouth" You huff, "I don't know what to do" you almost frown
"test the waters, tease him a little" she explains
"Tease him how?" you question wide eyes looking as clueless as ever
"Oh my lovely innocent duckling, flirt with someone else in front of him and if he reacts, then you know he feels the same, you've never played the game back" Pansy praised her hand gently brushing your hair with her fingers
"Maybe with Enzo?" you suggest
"Yes! Exactly with Enzo, Merlin Theo is going to rage, our best friend Lorenzo and his fiancée," She giggles, sprinting into her wardrobe she begins to throw clothes your way shouting from a distance "Wear something of mine, something short, Oh my, could this get any better it's Enzo's birthday tomorrow, a Randevu with the birthday boy, Perfect, just perfect! at his party you need to..." Pansy rambled on and on you take a deep breath losing focus of her words, instead you picture a certain someone shutting your eyes tight, you tried to squeeze his face out of your imagination.
The next night, the common room is glowing green with enchanted lanterns, loud with music and louder chaos. Draco spiked the butterbeer, and Blaise has his wand extended as he runs through the road, levitating cake through the air, slapping pansy ass with his free hand as he passes
"You look edible. All you have to do is exist near Enzo, and Theo’ll combust.” Pansy says over the music
You open your mouth to reply, something sarcastic, maybe some reluctance, but your breath hitches instead.
Because Theo is already flirting.
He’s seated on the far couch, his legs man spread with a girl draped on the arm beside him. Ravenclaw, you think you recognise her, but your eyes squint as you watch her nails tracing the edge of his sleeve as she leans into his shoulder.
You feel it immediately a sharp, dizzy twist low in your stomach. Like jealousy poured into your body and absorbed into your ribs.
Your stomach churns with a sharpness you couldn't ignore this time.
Pansy clocks it instantly. “Oh. Oh. He’s trying to get a reaction.”
“Well, he’s about to get one,” you mutter, already scanning the room for Enzo, you feel Pansy adjust your skirt even higher than it already is.
Just as you move, Pansy grabs your hand. “Wait. Let me try it on.”
“The ring. Just for a second.” She holds out her hand dramatically, already a few drinks in, eyes glittering. “Come on, I'm gonna go show Blaise how good I'd look with one on, maybe he'll pop the question on the spot" she pokes her tongue out
You roll your eyes but pull it off, hesitating just a moment before she snatches, slipping it onto her finger. It feels naked. Your skin misses it immediately, as if it were never meant to come off at all.
Pansy slips it onto her finger with a mock gasp. “Look at me,” she sighs, lifting her hand towards Blaise,
You don’t laugh. You can’t.
Instead, you turn, heels clicking toward Enzo.
You stumble through the crowd, Enzo at the drinks table, already halfway through something deadly-looking. His smile spreads wide when he sees you.
“Birthday boy,” you sing, running a finger lightly up his arm. “How lucky am I to spend your birthday with you?” you smile widely
“Is this sweetness my birthday present?” he grins, playing along instantly, as his own hands trail up your waist “Now what about your fiance, you remember him sorta my best friend, would sorta kick both our asses”
You lean in, letting your lips graze his jaw. “I have no idea what you mean.”
Setting your eyes toward Theo, your hand slowly makes its way to cup Enzo's face, eyes still glued to Theodore as Enzo entertains this forthcoming and dangerous game.
You want him to see every inch of it.
But when your eyes flick back to the couch,
You return your gaze to Lorenzo, who is smiling up a thunderstorm, before you can even straighten up, a familiar hand curls around your arm.
You’re yanked back with a roughness that makes you gasp, the drink nearly slipping from your fingers.
You hear Enzo laugh in the distance, but it's all happening too fast.
“Theo—” you start, but he’s already pulling you away from it all, through the throng of people, past a very pleased Pansy and out into the corridor.
He drags you through the room like a man possessed. Through the bodies, through the music, through the haze of alcohol and flickering light.
The common room door slams shut behind you.
And suddenly it’s just you and him in the corridor, you suddenly feel the cold of the night shiver down your spine
Your pulse is thudding against your throat.
“What the fuck was that?” you demand, yanking your arm back
He spins to face you, chest heaving. “Where’s your ring?”
“Don’t play stupid with me. Where. Is. Your. Fucking. Ring.”
He’s never spoken to you like this. Never looked at you like this.
“Pansy asked to try it on and-” you almost stutter through your words, he's never been so close to you
“And you gave it to her?” he interrupts
You're breathless. “It’s just a ring.”
His face twists. “Don’t say that.”
“It is,” you snap. “You never even looked at it before. You flirt with girls in front of me like I don’t exist, so don't act like it matters or that we're in a real relationship, ok, don't pretend now you suddenly care that I’m not wearing it-" your pleading broken eyes are betraying the coldness in your voice
The words ring through the corridor like a spell.
His fists fidget and clench at his sides, like he doesn’t know what to do with his hands like he's fighting his all to not out them on your hips to stabilise himself.
“My parents wanted me to marry Daphne Greengrass,” he grits out. “That's who they suggested first, but I refused"
You swallow your heart in your throat.
“I told them it would be you or I wouldn’t be anyone. That if it wasn't you that their bloodline ould die with me” he stops himself, jaw locking. “Our families have always been close so I convinced them and fucking hell it wasn't easy. My father owed Daphnes father a favour; he would've returned it with an engagement but my parents and your parents get along so well, they came to agreement”
Your breathing picked up at a pace you couldn't control
“I wanted you,” he says. “I have always wanted you.” he inches closer
You stare at him, barely breathing. The corridor seems to shrink around you.
"Do you know how much I've missed our friendship Theodore?" you hiss
"I know and I-" he begins
"No, you pushed away completely, I thought you hated me, it was killing me" You couldn't control yourself, you began to shove his chest hard yet completely ineffectivly
"You wanted me? You never- fucking- showed- it" you continue with your pathetic attempts of aggression, until his hands so disciplined and sturdy grabbed hold of your wrist, halting another push
“Because the second I touch you-” his voice breaks, his eyes wild“I won’t be able to stop. I’ve spent months trying to keep it together. Do you have any idea what it’s been like, watching you avoid me, watching you pretend I’m not in the room, while I’ve been trying to be decent-?”
You step forward before you can stop yourself
“You don’t have to be decent anymore.”
The air between you trembles.
He looks at you like he might come undone.
“You’re mine,” he whispers as your foreheads fall together to connect
“I know,” you say, voice shaking, not brave enough to look into his eyes
“And you’re not taking that ring off again.” you feel his head shake in disapproval
You nod, slowly desperately. “I'll go get it"
"Don't move alright, stay here" his hands in yours unwillingly part as he disappears back into the party.
You look around for the first time since arriving in the corridor, and before your can take a healthy breaht into your lungs, Theodore's hand is on your back, stealing your oxygen again.
"Shit-head fucking Pasny" he mutters as he toweres over you
He slides the ring back onto your finger with trembling hands, his breath ragged, his gaze locked on yours like it would kill him to look away.
But hard, and angry, and starved. Like he’s putting the choice into your mouth, reminding you who you belong to and exactly why.
All tongue and teeth and months of swallowed rage. He kisses like he fights you, consuming, ruthless.
Your back hits the wall of the corridor, and he presses his whole body into yours, like he needs you under him, around him, everywhere all at once. You gasp into his mouth, and the sound makes him groan.
“I hate that you made me watch that shit you pulled with Enzo,” he growls against your lips, biting down softly before kissing you again, harder. “I hate that you knew I’d snap.”
“I wanted you to,” you gasp.
He pulls back, just enough to look at you, eyes blazing once again, chest heaving like he's watched it all again in his blink. “You wanted me to drag you out of there like a fucking animal?”
“Yes,” you breathe, desperate, pulling his face back close to yours “I wanted you to see me. Theo”
“I’ve always seen you,” he hisses, his hand gripping your thigh, hiking your skirt higher. “I’ve seen you since we were twelve. I saw you before my parents said your name. I picked you before I even knew I could.”
You whimper, and that’s it, you've broken something in him. He doesn’t care about the corridor anymore, or the party happening on the other side of the wall, or the fact that anyone could walk out and see.
He turns you around fast your cheek pressed against the cool stone, his body flush behind you, one arm tight into you hip, the other bracing the door shut so nobody can walk out and see you like this beneath him.
“This what you wanted?” he growls into your ear. “To drive me mad?”
You can barely speak. “Yes”
He pushes your hair aside and mouths at your neck, biting down just enough to leave marks, to stake a claim. His voice drops, dark and low and dangerous:
“Then don’t cry when I show you what happens when you’re mine.”
You gasp, a soft sound muffled by the stone. His breath is hot against your neck, his hand still locked around your hip like it’s the only thing anchoring him to sanity.
“You’re so fucking lucky,” he hisses, lips pressed to your ear, “that you weren’t wearing that ring when you pulled that shit with Enzo.”
His hand tightens on your waist, dragging you back harder against him. You gasp—he doesn’t care.
“If I’d seen that ring near his jaw,” he growls, voice shaking with rage, “if your finger even brushed his face, while wearing our fucking rin-”
He cuts himself off, exhaling sharp through his nose.
“I would've shattered it. His face. His jaw. Your hand with it if I had to.”
You open your mouth to say something in return, but you can't
"Put your hand to my face, baby", he practically begs in a low whisper
You oblige, your shaky hand settles on his cheek, and he could cry.
His own hand meets yours, fingers tracing the ring like it’s a vow.
In the distance you hear Pasny calling your name, Theo mutters all sorts of filth towards the floor, if she comes through the doors this moment is over, the moment you both waited so long for
"Theo, I need you", you let out, your frantic eyes lock with Theo's, silently begging him to not let her take you away from him right now.
He understands immediately, picking you up and leading you both away from the chaos, towards his dorm.
His pace so quick that you tighten your grip on him so you don't fall, as his door creaks open then shut, you have no idea whats waiting for you.
Reblogs, comments, and likes are extremely appreciated. <3